Last spring, Go Figure Studio opened up in the Five Corners Shopping Center in Scarsdale. I dropped by recently to try out a class, and it was not only a great workout, but a fun experience in a calm and not-at-all intimidating environment.
The “Figure Method” was designed 10 years ago by founder, Cindy Sites, to incorporate pilates, yoga and classical ballet into a unique barre class that focuses heavily on posture, flexibility and developing overall strength. My instructor was Linda, an incredibly-ripped veteran of Go Figure Studios, and there were three other women in the class on a sleepy weekday morning. We talked about our ballet barre class history (I’ve tried them all including Physique 57, The Bar Method, BodyFit, and CoreFusion), and got started with a warm-up and light weight exercises for arms, shoulders and back.
After putting our weights away, we sidled up to the barre (pun intended) for “seat” and leg work, which was just challenging enough. The padded floor was our next stop where we did an exercise called the Pretzel — another move designed for our “seats”– and ab work. Go Figure is unique among barre studios in that they don’t do ab work on or against the ballet barre because of the risk of injury to your back.
The class was an hour long, and I felt like I’d had a great workout but perhaps personally still craved a little cardio. (Of the other 3 women in the class, one was pregnant, one had come straight from SoulCycle, and the other from tennis.) The next day I felt sore in a really good, motivating way, not in an uncomfortable “I need to take a week off from exercise” way.
The leopard-print carpet at the single studio’s entrance is a trademark of Go Figure studios, and the ladies room was stocked with lovely Compagnie de Provence bath products. The music soundtrack was a gentle techno that wasn’t all that noticeable. It wasn’t crowded or loud and I’m looking forward to going back!
Go Figure’s prices are typical for specialized studios at $30 for a single class and packages starting at 10 for $285. Check out Go Figure Scarsdale’s schedule here. Westchester locations include Armonk, Rye, and Scarsdale, as well as Westport, Darien and Greenwich in Connecticut.
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Sounds great! I actually just had a guest post about the barre method on my blog! (http://www.nutritioulicious.com/2012/07/feel-pretty-with-a-ballet-based-workout/). They’re all the rage these days!